St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-07-15
How the Late Postmaster at Fort Ab-
raham Lincoln Increased
his Pay.
The Defalcation, Although the Largest
Yet Discovered, Not the
Cnly One.
The Manitoba Wants the COMPLAINTS
Against II Dismis sed---Dakota
Temperance Alliance.
Northern Pacific Depot at Wahpeton
Struck by Lightning and Burned
---0ther News.

Special 10 the GLOBE.
WASHINGTON, July 14.-The post
master general, under the act of con-
gress approved June II, 1873. has made
an order requesting the auditor to read
just the compensation of the late post
master at Fort Abraham Lincoln, Dak.,
who for long time Systematically rem
dered false returns of cancellation in
order to increase his compensation. and
the sum to be recovered to the govern
ment amounts to S5,055.34. The late
postmaster, while his accounts were
being investigated by an inspector of
the department, committed suicide.
The pOstoffice department is making a
careful and thorough inspection of the
business at each pOStOffice in the cOun-
try, and the service is greatly improved
thereby Where it is discovered that a
postmaster has rendered false returns
of cancellation and his compensation
has been unlawfully increased, prompt
action is taken by the department, under
the law, to recover to the government
the amount improperly obtained and
the guilty official is also removed from
office and criminally prosecuted. In
giving this statement to the GLOBE the
postmaster general invites atten-
ton TO his annual report for 1886,
in which he says:
The changes of postmasters during the
eighteen months past have contributed TO
disclose the fact that many violations OF the
law have been .practiced, and1 illegally eX-
cessive compensation has too often been
retained. The compensation Of fourth-class
postmasters is reckoned by themselves and
retained out of their receipts. When atten-
ton is once directed to any particular office
it is not difficult to determine whether re-
turns have been true or false. Many cases
have been investigated by inspectors, and
upon evidence secured-occasionally accom-
panied by written Onfessions-cOmmisSiOn
have been withheld and commissions of post
masters fixed at q reasonable figure. The
number of such cases for the last fiscal year
was 172, and the aggregate reclaimed by the
government as having been WTongfully taken
by postmasters was SIS, 1880.
The defalcation of the postmaster at
Fort Abraham Lincoln, although one of
the largest yet discovered, is not by any
means solitary. 1t emphasizes the neceS>
sity of watchfulness and great care on
the part of the sixth anditOr of the
treasury, who auditS the accounts of the
poStoffice department. 1t is not said as
matter of partisanship, but as matter
of business, that the auditors hitherto
have been somewhat lax i'll passing ac-
counts of pOStmaSterS whose quarterly
returns have either shown excessive
sales of stamps, over their purchases of
the same, or sales eQualing their pur-
chaSeS. 1t is not generally known, but
it is fact, that the sales of stamps by
fourth class Offices do not equal their
purchases from the government. SO
many stamps are sent to large towns
and cities, to make change in lieu of
fractional currency ,and so many stamps
are lost or DESTROY yed. that not more than
so per cent. of stamps purchased by
postmasters are ever cancelled by them.
OF cOuase, it may be true that nearly
all of their stamps are sold, but their
compensation arises from a commission
upon stamps Cancelled as pOStageS on
matter actually mailed at their Offices"
Hence it follows that when the quar-
terly returns of fourth class offices show
sales or cancellations" equal or eX-
ceeding the amount purchased from the
stamp division the presumption should
at once arise that there is something
wrong. and the office should be reported
for investigation. Republican auditors
have ignored this patent fact, and Re-
publican clerks, holding over, have con-
tinued to neglect this patent fact; hence
the enormous aggregate losses which
the government has sustained. This
has been a growing and spreading fault
with pOStmaSterS of the fourth class,
but it will hereafter diminish. The
postmaster general is causing inSpec-
tiOns to be made of all offices, regardless
of the face of the returns. Splendid re-
suits are already being achieved, and
tens of thOusandSOf dollars are being
saved by the prudence, sagacity and
foresight of the postmaster general.